Reel or holder for textile packages



Dec. 2 v

`7, 1938. R. LITTLE ET AL REEL OR HOLDER' FOR TEXTIIJE PACKAGES .3 sheets-sheer 1 Filed April l0, 1956 Dec.27, 1938. R. LITTLE Er AL REEL 0R HOLDER FoR TEXTILE' PACKAGES heet.S-l-Shee'f. 2

Dec. 27,' 1938. R. LITTLE ET AL' v v v 2,141,610

' REEL 0R HOLDER FOR TEXTILE PACKAGES v Filed Apil 1o, 193e s sheets-sheet s gli! Meme W M112 Patented Deo. 27,l 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-fics 2,141,611:` `Elim-1L 0R 0mm .FOR TEXTILE PACKAGES Royal Little, Providence, and Freeman W. Fraim Cranston. R. I.,

Corporati` Y Rhode Island ignora on, Providence, R. I., a corporation of to Franklin mym Application April 1o, was, serial Nn. '13,730

e emma. l(ci. 24pm) l tile and package" as hereinafter used in the- -speciilcation and claims are intended to include, respectively, all iibrous materials and any form of package containing the same. One of the objects of, the present invention l is to provide a reel or holder of the type indicated including a core or mandrel which may be inserted through the hollow package and then expanded radially into gripping engagement with the yarn-mass. f y Another object of the invention-is to provide a holder of the type indicated having removable end members with means for expanding the mandrel as .the end members are moved axially toward each other. y

Another object of the invention is to provide inter-engaging means on thev end members for adjusting their relative axial position and for retaining the separable parts ol the holder in assembled relationship.

Another object ofthe invention isto provide a holder of the type indicated providedl with radial anges on the end membersfor engaging the opposite ends of the package and over which portions of an enclosing ilexible sheath or cheesecloth wrapping for the package may be folded,

and means cooperating with the ilanges for gripping the sheath thereto. i

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a holder of the type indicated which is simple and compact, rigid and sturdy in construction, adapted to be quickly assembled with the package, and providing for a. free delivery of the yarn by either rotating the package or drawing oft the yarn over the end of the holder.

Further objects oi the improvement are set forth in the following specification vwhich describes two embodiments of the invention, by way of one of the flanges broken away to show the contractible ring for gripping the end of the ilexible sheath or fabric wrapping in which the package is`enclosed;

3 is a side elevational view of the holder shown with one of the end members removed to illustrate the manner of assembling the holder with the package;-

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional Kview of the holder taken on line 4-,4 ofllilig. land showing the form of the -expansible core or mandrel for engaging the interior, of the package; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view o'f the holder showing a modied form of end member for use when the yarn is to be unwound over the end of the holder.

In general, the holder of the present invention comprises a plurality of separable parts including a resilient expansibie core or mandrel adapted to be inserted through the interior of the hollow package.- Removable end members cooperate the form of a screw and nut, are rigidly fixed to v the end members for retaining the parts in assembled relationship and adjusting the end members axially. Radially-extending flanges on the end members provide for supporting the ends of the package and preferably have retaining means package may be folded. Expansible rings are provided for cooperation with .the retaining means on the flanges lto grip the folded-over ends of the flexible sheath to the end members. When the yarn is to vbe unwound over the end of the holder a modied form of end member is substituted which providesior free delivery of the material. y

Referring to Fig. 1 of the'drawings, apackage P -which may be of-any material or form'is shown as supported on the holder constituting the subject-matter oi' the present invention. As herein illustrated the package P is in the form of a rayon cake enclosed in a cheesecloth wrapping or ilexible `sheath l0. The holder is comprised of a plurality oi separable parts including a resilient v expansible mandrel Ii of a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter oi' the package to permit it to be readily inserted therein. In the preferred lembodiment of the invention herein illustrated the mandrel Il is made from a resilient sheet-metal strip of sulzostantially` the same with its terminal portions I2 and I3 overlapping, as shown in Fig. 4. When the holder is used to support rayon cakes, the mandrel may be formed as a truncated cone or with a slight taper to correspond with the taper of the cake.

End members I@ and I5 are assembled on the mandrel after the latter has been inserted through the hollow package P. The end members I4 and I5 are preferably constructed of suitable light sheet-metal, such as aluminum, spun, struck-up or otherwise formed to provide frusto-conical portions I6 with radially-extending Aflanges Il at their larger ends. The radial anges I1 are preferably offset from the base of the conical portions I6 toward the apex end by axially-extending webs i3 which cooperate with the conical portions to form annular recesses I9 for the ends of the mandrel II. The outer edge portions of the flanges I1 are folded over at rightangles and then bent radially inward to provide annular recesses or grooves 20 for a purpose to be later explained. As thus far described the two end members I4 and I5 are of substantially the same construction but of opposite hand with the conical portion of the member I5 preferably smaller than the conical portion of the member I4 to correspond with the different diameters at the opposite ends of the mandrel I I due to its slight taper.

The end members I4 and I5 are adapted to be adjusted in axial relationship and held assembled with the mandrel II by interengaging means 25 at the axis of their conical portions I6. Preferably, the interengaging means are in the form of a threaded stud 26 Vcarried by and projecting' axially from lthe end member I4 and a cooperating nut 2,1 carried by the end member I5. As herein illustrated the threaded stud 26 is rigidly fixed to a disk 28 riveted or otherwise iixedly attached to a iiat radial flange 29 at the reduced end' of the frusto-conical portion I6 of the member I4. The stud 26 has an axial bore 3| through which a spindle 32may be passed to rotatably support the holder. The nut 21 on the end member I5 is rigidly fixed to the radial iiange portion 33 of the member I5 by means of rivets or the like and the nut is interiorly threaded to cooperate with the threads on the stud 26. As the `nut 21 is screwed onto the stud 26 the conical portions I6 of the end members I4 and I5 are drawninwardly toward each other until they engage the opposite ends of the mandrel I I' whereafter they act as wedges to spread or expand the mandrel radially. The interengaging stud 26 and nut 21 thus serve to retain the separable parts of the holder in assembled relationship and provide for adjusting the end members vaxially to expand the mandrel II and .engage the flanges I1 with the opposite ends of the package P.

The ends of the exible sheath I0 which enclose the package P may be folded over the radial flanges I1 and tucked into the annular grooves 20 to permit the yarn to be withdrawn from the holder. Expansible hoops or rings 35 may then be inserted in the grooves to' grip the folded-over ends of the exiblesheath I0 against'the end'l members. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the rings 35 are constructed of suitable resilient wire formed to a generally circular shape with the opposite ends of the wire bent inwardly to form lingergrips 36. vThe rings 36 may thus be conveniently grasped and their ends sprung together to be placed in the grooves 20 and over the ends of the exible sheath I0 while held contracted by the v arancio finger-grips 36. resiliency of the rings causes them to expand and grip the ends of the sheath I6 to the end-members. A preferred form of the holder of the present invention having now been described in detail the manner of assembling it with a. package and its mode 'of operation will be next explained. v

A package P with its flexible enclosing sheath or cheesecloth covering II) is held in the hand and the mandrel II inserted through its center. The end member I4 vmay then be laid ona suitable support and the mandrel and package placed thereon in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3.A The threaded stud 26 projects .upwardly and the opposite end member I5 is applied by screwing it down onto the stud until the conical portion I6 engages the mandrel. Upon further turning of the member I5 .on the stud 26 the opposite edges of the mandrel II Will slide on the conical portions I6 of the end members I4 and I5 as the conical portions of the opposite end members are moved toward each other. The conical por-- tions I6 of the end members will thus act as wedges to expand the mandrel radially until it tightly engages the interior of the package. Concurrently. with the expansion of the mandrel II the radial flanges I1 move into engagement with the opposite ends of the package P whereby the latter is supported interiorly and at its ends.

The end portions of the flexible sheath III are folded over the flanges I1 and tucked into the grooves 20 formed by the peripheral portions of the end members I4 and I5. The expansible rings 35 are then inserted in the grooves 20 of the end members I4 and I5 by contracting them and when released they. spring into position to grip the 'ilexible sheath to the end members as shown in Fig. 1. The package P is thus positively held and the rings 35 contracted and bodilyremcved from the end members I4 and I5 by pressing the fingergrips 36 toward each other, whereafter the holdver is disassembled by unscrewing one of the end members with respect to the other. 'A new package P may then be slid onto the mandrel and the parts of the holder again quickly assembled and Y adjusted to support it, after which the flexible sheath I9 is folded over the flanges I1 and gripped by the expansiblev rings 35, and the 4assembled unit mounted on the spindle 32.

When released, the inherent v When the yarn is to be taken oi over the end flange 4I, however, is of less diameter than the flange I1 on the opposite end member I4 and extends radially vfrom the conical portion I6 without being odset axially therefrom. The terminal portion 42 of the ange is folded radially inwardly to provide .a smooth rounded edge 43 which will u yarn if the latter contacts therewith.

The parts of the holder are assembled in the same manner as previously explained except that axially above the holder.

one end of the flexible sheath or cheesecloth covering ill'is tucked between the end of the mandrel il and the conical portion I6 of the end member 40 to eliminate any rough surface apt to be engaged by the yarn to voffer frictional resistance and cause the yarn to break. The opposite end of the flexible sheath I0 need not be gripped by the ring 35 as in this form of holder it will not interfere with the delivery of the yarn as it is drawn over the opposite end of the holder. The

assembled holder is mounted on a suitable base or support 44 provided with 'a spindle 45 extending upwardly through the hollow stud 26 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5. v

During the unwinding operation theyarn ordinarily does not engage with any part of the holder due to its ballooning eect as it unwinds fromthe cake and is drawn through an eye or tensioning device, not herein shown, positioned As the beginning of the unwinding operation when the diameter of the cake is at a maximum the outer edge of the cake is spaced from the flange 4I .due to the reduced diameter of the flange, as indicated at a in Fig. 5. However, when the diameter of the cake becomes less the ballooning eiect becomes greater due to-the decreased yardage in each coil unwound so that in the worst condition .illustrated at b in Fig. 5 the yarn will clear the flange. The yarn will bear against the ange 4| only at the beginningof the unwinding operation before the velocity of the yarn causes suillcient ballooning` to clear the flange. In this manner the delivery of the yarn is unimpeded by any rough surface which might cause breakage at the high velocity at which it is withdrawn. e

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides an imp roved reel or holder for quickly mounting a textile package to adapt the yarn to be unwound by rotating the holder, or over the end of the holder when the' latter is stationary, without snarling or tangling.

It will also be observed that a very simple, light. and compact structure is provided for assembling the separate parts of the holder with the package most conveniently and expeditiously.

It will also be apparent that the holder of the present invention is adapted to accommodate packages having varying inside diameters due to the radialy-expansible mandrel.

Further, -it `willbe apparent that the package is prevented from slipping on the mandrel by the frictional engagement of the flexible sheath or covering with the mandrel and end flanges and by the expansible rings which positively grip the ends of the sheath tothe end members.

While the improved reel or holder is herein shown and described as embodied in preferred forms of construction, it is to be understood that modiilcations may be made inthe structure and arrangement of its pai s without departing from the spirit or scope' of ne invention. Therefore. without limiting ourselves inlthis respect, we claim:

1. A holder for textile packages comprising an expansible mandrel, end members rfor cooperating with the opposite ends of the mandrel, annular pockets in said end members for receiving the ends of a flexible sheath enclosing the mandrel and folded over the end members, means for expanding the mandrel radially, and means cooperating with the pockets in the end members for ygripping the folded-over ends of the flexible sheath therein. Y

2. A holder for textile packages comprising a mandrel, end members having conical portions y with flanges extending radially from the ends of said conical portions and formed withv annular recesses, said recesses adapted to receive the ends of a flexible sheath folded outwardly over the flanges, interengaging means for drawing the en'd members toward each other to expand the xnandrel radially, andl means cooperating with the outer sides of the flanges for gripping the foldedover portions of the flexible sheath in the recesses. 3. A holder for packages comprising a tubular mandrel split longitudinally throughout its length, end members having conical portions for cooperation with the opposite ends of the mandrel to expand it radially as the end members are moved axially relatively of each other, said end members having radial anges with annular recesses at their outer rims, and contrac'tible rings for cooperation with the annular recesses to grip the end portions of a flexible sheath folded over the ilanges and into the recesses.

4. A holder for supporting textile packages comprising a tubular mandrel split longitudinally throughout its length, end members having conical portions cooperating with theopposite ends of the mandrel and offset flanges extending radially from the conical portions with their edge portions folded over'at an angle and then inwardly to form annular recesses, a hollow stud fixed ,to one of the end membersv and having screw threads on its periphery, a nut rigidly fixed to the other end member and adapted to be screwed onto the stud to draw the end members toward each other. said conical portions acting to expand the mandrel as the end members are moved axially toward each other, and a flexible ring cooperating with the annular recesses on the flanges to grip the ends of a ilexible sheath on a ,package folded over the ianges and into the recesses.

5. A holder for yarn packages comprising a package. end members for the mandrel having substantially radially-disposed flanges, .at leastv one of said end members being removable from the holder to adapt a package to be placed on the mandrel, recesses in the end members for receiving the ends of a ilexible sheath folded over the flanges, and resilient split rings adapted to be inserted into the recesses on the end members to `'grip the ends of the flexible sheath thereto.

and split rings having radially-extending nnger'- grips at their ends to adapt them to be grasped andsprung into the recesses to grip the ends of the ilexible sheath to the flanges when said ends are folded thereover.

. p ROYAL LI'I'ILI.

FREEMAN W. I'RAIII.

mandrel for insertion through the'interior of a 

